What if I said that I’m ready now?” Alex sounded so calm, but Riven couldn’t imagine that it was real.

“I’d be stupid to believe that,” he replied. He didn’t recognize his own voice. “It wouldn’t happen like this…” he swallowed, sure of his words even though his body screamed for something else. “Not after a fight. Not in the middle of the road in the desert with the car stalled.”